10 Tips to Shred Down Your Body Fat – Part 1
Everyone drops body fat at different rates. It takes dedication, motivation and a relentless dedication that triumphs, even in the face of hiccups and wrong turns along the way.
But there are a number of hints, tips and guidelines that you can follow to make the journey just that little bit easier.
Here’s part #1 of our list of top tips to melt fat and improve your body composition…
#1. Consume fewer calories
Why have we put this as number one?
Because all otherthings equal, energy balance makes or breaks a fat loss shred.
When you take in fewer calories than you expend through physical activity your body makes up the difference by dipping into your fat cells and making a deposit. This is what’s called an energy deficit or negative energy balance.
If you’re not in a deficit, your body just won’t tap into that stored fat.
Work out your energy deficit here…
#2. Remember, fat loss isn’t linear
You’ve worked out your deficit and the weight’s coming off nicely – you’re shredding.
But will it keep coming down at a steady rate?
It’d be nice if things were so simple.
But unfortunately it’s not – no matter how hard you try there’ll be weeks where you won’t lose anything… and even weeks where you gain weight!
It’s normal and all part of the process. So don’t get disheartened if you hop on the scales and you’re a little heavier. Stick with it and trust the process.
#3. The more you have, the quicker you’ll lose it
The law of diminishing returns suggests that those who hold more fat will lose it quicker – the more you have to spare, the easier it is to lose.
So in the early days of your shred you’ll probably see some fast progress. You’ll drop clothes sizes fairly easily and your motivation will be sky high.
But…
The nearer you get to your ideal body fat, the harder you’ll have to work. And that’s not a bad thing – it just means that you’ll need a few more ‘tricks of the trade’ as you get closer to your goal.
And that’s where the rest of these tips come in…
#4. Make small changes for the win
We’ve all been there.
You set a date to get going on your fat loss journey… and when that dates comes you change every possible part of your life – diet, exercise, lifestyle, social circles, sleep patterns.
You go from a sedentary, fast-food guzzling workaholic to an early-morning jogging, smoothie-drinking health nut in the space of a few days.
It’s too much in one go.
And there’s a ton of research suggesting that if you set too many goals and change too many parts of your life all in one go you won’t succeed.
But by making small ‘adjustments’ along the way, you’ll be able to work towards your target without even noticing.
So rather than going from 5 fast food meals in a week to just eating kale, reduce it down to 3 times per week, then 2 and so on.
It’s a much easier way of changing your lifestyle for the better.
#5. Reduce sugar… but not completely
Yeah, yeah, we know – you’ve heard this a hundred times already. Sugar is bad etc. etc.
But here’s the catch with this one… don’t eliminate all of the sugary treats in your diet!
Wait, what? Doesn’t sugar make you fat?
The only time sugar will make you fatter is if you’re in a calorie surplus.
And much like with #4, because research suggests that restrictive dieting doesn’t always work, it’s important that you don’t completely take out what you enjoy.
So if you really like the occasional sweet treat, then have it – just remove the calories elsewhere and enjoy it without it ruining your diet.
But it shouldn’t be a daily habit as you’ll be sacrificing healthy food, vitamins and minerals to get your sugary snack. Once or twice a week is fine though.
#6. Focus on vegetables and protein
Each of your meals should be built around plenty of brightly-colored vegetables and different sources of protein.
Because vegetables are so nutrient dense, you’re maximizing the number of health-giving vitamins and in a low number of calories. You’re also getting a lot of fiber to help keep you fuller for longer too.
Protein is essential because it is the most satiating of all macronutrients and helps to stimulate, or worst case maintain muscle mass. You don’t need protein shakes, but aiming for 1 gram per pound of body weight from real food sources will maximize the benefits of protein.
Does this mean there’s no room for grains or fats? No, of course not.
It just means that once you prioritize your vegetables and protein, the remainder of your calories can come from other food sources.
#7. Lift weights
So the diet is coming together and you’re feeling motivated. The next thing to do is think about exercise.
Strength training should form the back bone of any fat loss program, for a number of reasons.
Firstly, being strong means that when you take part in cardio you don’t feel as tired. Your legs don’t feel as heavy on bike sprints and your shoulders don’t slump when you’re out jogging.
Muscle is a metabolically active tissue meaning the more you have, the more calories you burn in a day – it elevates what’s called your basal metabolic rate (BMR).
And lastly, weight training allows you to shape and tone specific muscles to give you an athletic, attractive physique.
#8. Use progressive overload to see results
As we’ve previously mentioned, lifting weights is paramount to a muscular. healthy physique.
But what you need to realize is that you have to keep progressing in your training in order to see continued results.
Progressive overload is where you gradually increase the weight, reps or number of sets to provide a continuous challenge to your body – that way it’ll keep adapting to the stimulus of strength training.
Try this: every time you can lift a weight more than 15 times, increase it a bit. And any time you can do 3 sets of an exercise with ease, push it up to 4.
#9. Don’t forget the value of cardio
Over the last few years we’ve seen an of emerging dismissal of cardio training, with many industry experts telling you you should avoid it.
But you shouldn’t.
Doing 2-3 cardio sessions per week not only reduces your risk of long-term health issues and boost your vascular and respiratory fitness, it’s a great calorie burner.
Okay, so it might not be the most interesting kind of exercise for some people, but finding something you enjoy is key.
So if its running, cycling, swimming or playing sports, ramp up your energy expenditure and you’ll see progress much quicker.
#10. Every little counts
Every time you move, no matter how low the intensity is, you burn calories. And we know now that if you burn more than you eat you’ll lose fat.
And if at this stage you’re lifting weights and adding a few cardio sessions in here and there than that’s a big part of the battle you’re winning already.
But in order to win the war you’ve got to cover all angles… and that’s where NEAT comes in.
Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) refers to any activities that aren’t structured. It’s any energy burned that isn’t from sports, exercise or sleeping.
Fidgeting, walking, cleaning, gardening and all other manual tasks are all NEAT activities – and research suggests that those who have higher NEAT levels tend to have lower body fat levels.
So even though you’re hitting the gym make sure you keep on your feet and melt those extra calories away.
#10.2. Read Part 2
With so much to cover and so many ways to lose your unwanted fat, we had to create a part 2!
So if you want to really speed up weight loss progress, you should check it out.
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